Soham killer Ian Huntley severely injured in jail assault as ‘pool of blood’ seen

Need to know

An inmate at HMP Frankland in County Durham suffered “serious injuries” following the incident at the prison in the north of England at 9am this morning (February 26)

NEED TO KNOW: Soham killer Ian Huntley ‘fighting for life’ after brutal prison attack

• Soham child killer Ian Huntley is reportedly “fighting for his life” after suffering serious injuries in a brutal prison attack at HMP Frankland this morning.
• The 52-year-old was found in a pool of blood at 9am and rushed to hospital following the assault at the Durham prison. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
• Huntley is serving life for murdering 10-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire, in August 2002. His then-girlfriend Maxine Carr was also jailed for providing him with a false alibi.
• A Prison Service spokesperson said: “A prisoner is receiving treatment after an incident at HMP Frankland on Thursday morning.” Durham Constabulary confirmed a male prisoner suffered serious injuries and was transported to hospital.
• The North East Ambulance Service dispatched two crews and requested air ambulance support, though the patient was ultimately taken by road. “We received a call at 9.23am on Thursday 26 February 2026 to reports of an incident at HM Prison Frankland,” a spokesperson said.
• This isn’t Huntley’s first prison attack – in 2010, robber Damien Fowkes slashed his neck with a homemade weapon, leaving a 7-inch wound requiring 21 stitches. Fowkes asked prison officers: “Is he dead? I hope so.”
• Before Frankland, Huntley was scalded with hot water by serial killer Mark Hobson at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire.
• READ THE FULL STORY: Ian Huntley prison attack update as police confirm his ‘serious injuries’